In the ravines of Chambal region, which was always in news in past for guns and bandits, a transgender contesting as an independent candidate has given the official candidates of established political parties a run for its money.
As per the counting till 3 PM, 28-year-old political greenhorn Neha Kinner, backed by an upper caste movement— SAPAKS, the acronym for Saamanya Picchada Alpsankyak Kalyan Samaj Sanstha, is giving a tough fight to Congress candidate Kamlesh Jatav. While Jatav is leading with over 18 thousand votes, Neha is just five hundred votes behind him and way ahead of the BJP candidate Gabbar Sakhwar and BSP’s Satyaprakash Sakhwar, an advocate.
Neha has the backing of upper castes, who are up in arms against Madhya Pradesh government over its stand related to SC ST Quota and SC/ST Atrocities Act.
The campaign trail of Neha Kinner also shared on YouTube as ‘Neha Kinner Janakarosh (public anger) rally’, had been drawing huge crowds in the otherwise region, which has a patriarchal society, where the assertion of male valour is the fad.
Neha had a led a colourful campaign in the constituency with her supporters shouting Maa Bahanon Ne Thaani Hai, Neha Kinner Jitani Hai; Abhi to ye angdai hai, aage aur ladai hai (Mothers and sisters have decided to ensure Neha’s victory. This is just the beginning, the bigger fight lies ahead)
“Even if I lose, I will continue to work with people,” she had told DH during her campaign trail.
It is still uncertain whether Neha will repeat the history of Shabnam Mousi, the first transgender MLA in the country, who had won as an independent candidate in 1998 assembly elections of Madhya Pradesh from the Sohagpur constituency in Shahdol-Anuppur district. But one thing is clear is that she, being a political greenhorn, had given a tough fight to ripened politicians in the region.